ETF Minds: Alexandra Levis on The Secret Weapon ETF Issuers Ignore

Alexandra Levis, Founder and CEO of Arro Financial Communications, joins us for the inaugural edition of “ETF Minds” — a new series where we speak with some of the sharpest minds shaping the ETF ecosystem.

In this first edition, we dive into the evolving role of earned media, the integration of digital and traditional distribution strategies, the rise of AI-driven misinformation, and what it really takes to launch a successful ETF in today’s crowded market.

In a space as crowded and competitive as the ETF market, how can issuers effectively gain and leverage earned media coverage?

Earned media is one of the most powerful credibility builders an ETF issuer can get because you cannot just buy it. When a respected outlet, analyst, or blogger talks about your fund, it signals to investors that you are worth paying attention to.

Here are 6 things ETF issuers should do to leverage earned media effectively.

1. Credibility that travels: If The Wall Street Journal, ETF specialist media, or a well-followed analyst mentions your fund, that third-party validation lands differently than your own marketing deck. Investors think, "Others are looking at this too." Use that.
2. Teach while you have the mic: Media moments are a chance to unpack your strategy in plain language. Talk about what the fund does, how it fits in a portfolio, the problem it solves, and where the risks are. If you can turn a complex idea into something investors understand, you win trust.
3. Amplify what you earn: Do not let coverage disappear after it runs. Grab the clip, pull a quote, link the article. Post it on your site, include it in newsletters, share it across social, add it to sales decks. When someone Googles your firm, fund, or CIO, that media footprint helps shape first impressions. Coverage may be organic, distribution should be intentional.
4. Use expert takes to frame your edge: Earned media often includes expert opinions or comparisons with other funds. Use that to your advantage. If a journalist or analyst highlights your fund positively, share it. Post it on your website, include it in newsletters, or mention it in client meetings. It reinforces your credibility and shows you're part of the broader market conversation.
5. Play the long game with media relationships: Good coverage rarely comes from a cold pitch. Stay in touch with reporters and industry voices. Share timely data, offer quick market color, and be reliable when they are on deadline. Stay useful and you stay on their radar.
6. Track what works: Measure reach, engagement, referral traffic, inbound inquiries, even flows around big media hits. If you work with a PR firm, ask for monthly dashboards that go beyond clip counts. Use the data to see which outlets move the needle and refine where you focus next.

Based on what you see day-to-day, how are firms integrating digital distribution into their traditional sales strategies?

ETF firms are always looking for ways to expand distribution efforts while managing costs.

Today, many firms employ a hybrid approach of digital and traditional distribution. 

Digital distribution solutions manage and track outreach to prospects, enabling data-driven decision-making.

Traditional sales teams offer the human touch by handling calls, in-person meetings, and events while managing personal relationships.

Each approach also has a specific role: digital distribution might be better for education or a broader audience like advisors or individual investors, whereas institutions benefit more from a relationship with sales, PMs, or firm leadership.  

These combined initiatives provide a holistic approach that covers a larger portion of the market, regardless of geographic location.

With AI-driven misinformation on the rise, how can asset managers keep their message clear and credible?

Generative AI is changing how people find and consume financial content. Google’s new AI-powered search and platforms like Apple News+ are now curating information based on user behavior, which means the old SEO playbook is quickly becoming outdated.

For financial marketers and PR teams, the challenge is creating content that fits these new AI-driven systems while staying accurate and authentic. With misinformation spreading faster than ever, building trust is more important than ever.

It’s also about format. Short-form video on platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels can boost reach, but the message still needs to be clear and credible.

And as search evolves, some SEO experts are already helping brands tailor their content to show up in AI-generated summaries. To stay relevant, it’s crucial to understand how AI is reshaping both search and social.

When launching a new fund, what should marketers keep top of mind to make it stand out?

When you're getting ready to launch a new ETF, your marketing team should start by asking a few key questions to make sure the plan is sharp and effective from day one.

1. What, exactly, is our goal here? Unfortunately, a common feature of unsuccessful ETF marketing plans is that the planners leap ahead to the medium itself before deciding on the goal of the campaign. You may find yourself certain that you need to put together a whitepaper or a five-minute animated video, and then work backwards from those media assets to the goal of the campaign. Instead, the goal needs to come first, which then dictates the medium. For example, if you’d like a large number of media appearances to drive investor interest, then you’ll probably want to think more seriously about the tools that enable such media appearances, such as a killer press release.
2. Who is our target audience? All too often, we hear ETF issuers saying they want to market to “everybody” but your messaging loses its effectiveness if you are marketing to everyone at once. By focusing on one or two target audiences (such as retail investors worried about inflation, or financial advisors interested in factor investing), you stand a much better chance of your materials resonating with your target audience and moving your potential investors towards an allocation. 
3. What tools are we going to use? The goal and the target audience in many ways dictate the tools you choose to utilize. For example, a retail investor is much more likely to respond well to simple messaging delivered via an animated video, while an institutional investor is much more likely to want to dig into the methodology of an ETF through lengthier whitepapers or blog articles.

Why should firms consider outsourcing their PR?

Because good PR takes a lot of time and effort.

To really do it right, you need to stay on top of the news cycle, build relationships with journalists, craft timely and relevant pitches, follow up, book interviews, and track every piece of coverage that comes through. It’s a full-time job.

PR agencies are built for this.

They have the scale, tools, and media contacts to get it done efficiently. In many cases, outsourcing is actually more cost-effective than managing it all in-house. Plus, it gives you the flexibility to shift strategies quickly as market conditions or messaging needs evolve.

A strong agency also brings deep industry know-how and connections. They know what stories resonate, who to talk to, and how to position your ETF in a way that gets real traction.

About Alexandra Levis

Alexandra Levis is the founder and CEO of Arro Financial Communications, a financial marketing and public relations agency that specializes in working with clients across both traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi) sectors. She has more than 15 years of experience in financial marketing, partnering with innovative startups and major players on Wall Street and within the crypto industry. Before founding Arro, she served as Vice President of Marketing at Global X Funds, an ETF issuer in New York City, where she managed and developed marketing and PR strategies. Levis holds a B.A. in International Relations from Tufts University

Please note this article is for information purposes only and does not in any way constitute investment advice. It is essential that you seek advice from a registered financial professional prior to making any investment decision.